South Africa Trip Cost: Daily Travel Budget
Planning a trip to South Africa sounds exciting, right? Spot the Big 5 in Kruger Park and climb the iconic Table Mountain in Cape Town. But what should you budget for a 3-week adventure? In this article, we’ll share an overview of our trip cost to the beautiful South Africa.
General Overview Trip Cost South Africa
To give you a clear idea of our daily travel budget for South Africa, here’s some context about our trip. We traveled as a couple in August 2023 (22 days total) and stayed in mid-range accommodations. Each place we stayed had a private room and bathroom, but nothing overly luxurious. Sometimes there was breakfast included. Curious about where we stayed? Check out our article on accommodations along the Garden Route.
We mixed things up when it came to meals: a combination of dining out and cooking our own food in our room or studio. If you plan to eat out for every meal or book a luxurious lodge in Kruger National Park with stunning park views, you’ll need to add extra costs to the figures we’ve shared.
Total Costs for a South Africa Road Trip
In total, we spent approximately €2400,- (excluding flights), which breaks down to around €55,- per person per day. Here’s how that total was divided.
- Accommodation (29%)
- Food and drinks (17%)
- Transportation (31%)
- Activities (19%)
- Other expenses (4%)
Flights to South Africa
The cost of flights can vary greatly depending on the airline, season, and promotions. We booked tickets with Emirates, including a layover in Dubai, and saved several hundred euros by comparing prices. We recommend using tools like Skyscanner to find the best deals, and don’t forget to check options with layovers.
Transportation Costs in South Africa
Transportation costs on a South African road trip can be divided into car rental, public transport and taxis. Honestly, it’s tough to explore South Africa without a car. We rented a car for both the Garden Route (including Cape Town, 10 days) and the Panorama Route and Kruger National Park (7 days). This cost just over €550,- or around €35,- per day. For the Garden Route, we paid a one-way fee for returning the car at a different location, and near Johannesburg, we encountered a few toll roads. All these expenses were included in our rental cost.
Tip: Check if your rental car has a toll badge. This allows you to drive through toll booths without waiting, and the costs are charged afterward. We paid around €25,- in total for tolls between Johannesburg and Kruger National Park.
Fuel in South Africa is significantly cheaper than in Europe. We spent €150 on fuel for our drives along the Garden Route, Panorama Route, and in Kruger National Park. Want to know exactly where we drove? Take a look at our full South Africa itinerary.
In Johannesburg, we didn’t have a rental car for our final days. Instead, we used Uber (which works perfect in South Africa!) and taxis, costing about €50,- in total. While this price may seem slightly higher, keep in mind that the airport and attractions like the Apartheid Museum are located far from the city center.
South Africa Trip Cost: Accommodation
We spent around €700,- on accommodations, averaging a little over €30,- per night. Every place we stayed offered clean private rooms with bathrooms, and some even had small kitchenettes. We found the accommodations in South Africa to be excellent value for money. Check our Google Maps travel guide South Africa for details on where we stayed.
Activities
A big part of your daily travel budget for South Africa will go toward activities. South Africa is all about wildlife and stunning landscapes, so entrance fees for national parks are inevitable. We spent approximately €450,- on entry fees for places like Kruger National Park, Addo Elephant Park, Tsitsikamma National Park, Robberg Nature Reserve, the Soweto tour, and several museums.
Food and Drinks
Grocery shopping in South Africa is similar to what you’d do back home, but prices are slightly lower compared to western standards. We saved a lot by cooking our own meals or making sandwiches for dinner. Still, we enjoyed dining out occasionally. One highlight was a delicious three-course meal at Drostdy’s. Coffee lovers will be pleased: South Africa serves excellent cappuccinos, often at very reasonable prices. Overall, we spent around €400,- on food and drinks during our trip.
Other Expenses
We always decide between buying a local SIM card or an eSIM, depending on what’s cheaper. In South Africa, we opted for a local SIM card at the airport, getting 40GB of data for €40,- (which turned out to be more than we needed). Another option is purchasing an eSIM via Airalo for instance. Aside from that, we kept extra expenses minimal. We bought a few small souvenirs and tipped when appropriate (e.g., at gas stations or parking lots). In total, our additional expenses amounted to just a few dozen euros.
Final Thoughts Trip Cost South Africa
South Africa is an incredible destination offering breathtaking wildlife, fascinating history, and stunning landscapes. With a daily travel budget for South Africa of around €55,- per person, it’s possible to enjoy a memorable trip without overspending.
Check out our Google Maps travel guide South Africa for all the places we visited!
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